Creative Aurvana Live headphones review

Are these the best all-round headphones on the market?

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Our Verdict

It's hard to find anything wrong with these headphones. The sound quality might not quite be up to the standard of the X-Fi or DJ headphones, but the other features more than make up for it. A really great pair of headphones

For

Look and feel great Sound quality is fab

Against

None

We first had a play with the Aurvana Live headphones at CES in Las Vegas back in January. The Creative team at the show were raving about them, and rightly so, because they’re great.

The most note-worthy thing about the Aurvana Live headphones is that they manage to deliver stunning audio clarity, despite weighing almost nothing. Seriously, I’ve picked up blades of grass that weighed more than these headphones.

Crispy audio

The powerful new neodymium magnet driver inside the Aurvana Lives combine with ultra-thin bio-cellulose diaphragms [takes a breath] to deliver music that genuinely sounds absolutely fantastic. Bass and treble are both crispy-as-hell – in fact we were really surprised about how good they sounded, given the lightweight feel of them.

They also look pretty stylish, so you should have no worries about wearing them out and about. And you’ll also be able to wear them in the knowledge that they look a lot more expensive than they actually are. The price is extremely modest, compared to rival products.

The Creative Aurvana Live headphones slot into the range alongside the Aurvana DJs and the Aurvana X-Fi. Between the three of them, they’ve got all bases covered. But the Aurvana Lives could well be the best of the lot.

Because while the DJs and X-Fis have a slight edge in terms of over-all sound quality, the difference is absolutely minimal. The Aurvana DJs and X-Fis are all pretty heavy and much more chunky than the Lives. And that makes these babies pretty great for using on-the-go. Take them to work. Take them on holiday. Take them everywhere – that’s what they’re designed for. And they’ll sound awesome in the process.

High quality

The Aurvana X-Fi headphones come with a hard carry case for transportation purposes, and that would have been a welcome addition here too. However, with the emphasis firmly on portability, who wants to be lugging a hard headphone-shaped case around with them everywhere? Definitely not me. Instead, we get a soft cloth carry case, which serves to avoid scratches in transportation.

Over all then a bloody good pair of headphones. If you’re going to sit in the office and listen to loud music, you might be better off going for the Aurvana DJs or the Aurvana X-Fis. But if you want one pair to use in all situations, there's surely no better all-rounder than the Creative Aurvana Lives.